Gentlemen Rogues - Half Empty, Half Fool 7" - Pink Vinyl (59/100)

 
Self Released (2025)

It's becoming a recurring thing lately where I say that I'm writing about a record I've had for too long and that I should have probably written about it already.  This becomes a self fulfilling prophecy as it means that anything I get now runs the risk of getting old as I try to prioritize the records that already are old.  It's a vicious cycle and no one cares, but I do feel bad that I'm only getting to this Gentlemen Rogues record as it's not only great, but Danny is a sweetheart.

A sweetheart that always seems to be in bands that can crank out tunes like nobody's business.  The A side is "Half Empty, Half Fool" which is a song from their excellent 2024 full length Surface Noise.  This version has been updated since the full length version, having been remixed and remastered and (so the Bandcamp page says) "partially re-recorded."  Now, if I'm being truly honest, my ears can't hear a whole lot of difference between the new version and the one on the album, though I've also never claimed to be an audiophile with a keen ear for nuance.  But this doesn't really matter to me as the song sounded great before and it sounds great now. 

The B side is a cover of the T.Rex song "Children of the Revolution."  The Rogues do a great job taking ownership of this tune and really making it sound like one of their own, while at the same time retaining enough of the original that it stands out.  With its mid-tempo, chunky guitar hooks and vocal melodies, it's right at home with their other songs.

I love me a good 7".  We don't see as many of them these days as they are so cost prohibitive to make and sell and buy (and process?).  But the old school album-track-on-side-one-and-cover-song-on-side-two gimmick is one that I will always get behind.  Even though Gentleman Rouges have the band name that I am most likely to misspell while writing about them, it's always a pleasure to add a new record of theirs to the collection and to let the world know how great they are.  And I didn't even mention Jill this time.

Gentlemen Rogues - Half Empty, Half Fool 7":

https://gentlemenrogues.bandcamp.com/album/half-empty-half-fool-2025-single

Short Straw Fate - Forgotten But Begotten CD

Self Release (2024)

Back in 2017, Short Straw Fate released For The Heroes In My Record Rack, and album that I have just loved ever since.  This year, we finally have a new release, Forgotten But Begotten.   At seven songs, it's a little long for an EP and a little short for a full album and it mostly makes me wish there were just a few more songs on it, but boy oh boy do I dig the songs that are here.

I think if you made a ranked list of people in America with extensive Japanese melodic punk rock releases in their collection, I'd have to think I would end up in the top twenty at least.  I bring this up because I absolutely adore the Japanese take on the sound that bands like Snuff and Leatherface brought to prominence.  They've never given up on that sound in Japan and over the years so many incredible albums have come out of this wonderful country.  Short Straw Fate do it as well as any of them, which is me trying to say this is pretty much the exact kind of music I want to listen to.

The songs have the energy and passion that is so difficult to replicate.  The songs are all upbeat, the vocals are delivered with passion and I'm just obsessed with the hooks.  The band named themselves after a Broccoli song, so chances are I'm going to like the music they put out (see also: Chestnut Road).  This was one of my favorite releases of last year and I can only hope that it's not another seven years before I get to hear more from them.

 

Bad Idea - Breakout 12" - Red Vinyl

Self Released (2024)

I wrote about Bad Idea's full length, Sonic Hellride, last year.  This year, they followed it up with a five song, 12" EP.  I'll throw in my obligatory complaint that I really don't like EPs as I prefer a full length or a single if you want to get less than a full course meal out into the world.  It just always seems like a waste to press up an LP but not put an LPs worth of music on it.  But that's far from a complaint unique to Bad Idea, they're just the record in front of me right now.

Like their album from last year, this EP has songs very much in the straight up punk rock space, occasionally leaning towards a more hardcore sound and sometimes having a garage-y sort of vibe.  In general this sort of thing is fine for me, but it's also not the kind of music that typically fits neatly into my wheelhouse.  I'm usually into a poppier sound...

Which the band is obviously capable of after one listen to the best song on here "Too Good To Die."  Does that main chord progression sound kind of familiar, of course, but they band still gets milage out of it by putting their own spin on things.  And as I mentioned last time I wrote about the band, they have a really great singer which helps them stand head and shoulders above other bands with similar sounds, who always seem to have uniquely shitty singers.

I think folks that are into meat and potatoes punk rock more than I am will get more milage out of this EP than I do.  It wouldn't surprise me for someone to listen to this and have the exact opposite opinion as me and think "Too Good To Die" stands out in a less than positive way from the others.  But I think we'd all agree that Bad Idea is very good at whatever they are doing.

Bad Idea - Breakout 12":
https://badideampls.bandcamp.com/album/breakout

Zonaea - Zonaea LP - Pink Vinyl (/75)

Self Released (2024)

Zonaea hail from South Carolina and have already won the award for the band name I mistype the most while trying to write something (it's the 'aea' at the end that keeps throwing me).  The band reached out to me to send me an album to check out.  While I don't imagine it'll end up being the sort of thing that I listen to repeatedly, it does check a very specific checkbox of a style of music that I do enjoy listening to from time to time.

Despite being from the southeast, it's really the pacific northwest that comes to mind when I listen to this album.  It's brings me back to the mid 90s when I was checking out bands like godheadSilo, Karp and Unwound.  While those aren't bands I listen to every day, they are bands that trigger a very specific nostalgia for a time where I was a bit lost and trying to figure out what I wanted to listen to.

The pounding, angular guitar riffs coupled with the slightly more gentle breakdowns is what reminds me the most of Unwound.  The vocals are a tad bit shoutier than I usually prefer, but they're not so over the top to where there's no melody being conveyed.  I tend to prefer the songs that are the closest to having conventional hooks.  "Ditch" being a song that stands out in that regard.  Though there's something to be said about the punishing guitar work in album opener "3's Become 4's."  End of the day, it's a totally solid record that has moments where I get really drawn into what's going on.  Again, not an everyday listen sort of thing, but certainly something I'd get out from time to time.

Zonaea - Zonaea:
https://zonaea.bandcamp.com/album/zonaea

Third Year Freshman - Demo Cassette

Self Released (Probably 1995 or 1996)

So, here we have a change.  A tape I bought on purpose.  This is a demo tape by the band Third Year Freshman from West Chester, PA.  The poppy punk scene in northern NJ that I was hanging around in when I first started college in 95/96 was a ton of fun.  But it also wasn't made up exclusively by bands from NJ.  Weston, Plow United and Third Year Freshman were a big part of that scene and would come up from PA all the time to play shows.  I'm going to paraphrase something that I heard a person say once: m"You always love your weirdest kid the most."  That was Third Year Freshman.

And they were my favorite local band in that little scene.  Fronted by Tom Martin, armed with an acoustic guitar and a bevy of crazy ass songs, it was impossible to not love them.  Mid 90s pop punk was pretty goofy as a whole, but Tom & crew always took it to the next level.  I have so many great memories seeing them play our local shows and always pulling off something crazy.  

My strongest memory was when they played at Flipside records, opening up for a Mr. T Experience in store.  Except the Mr. T Experience got lost and never showed up.  Third Year Freshman played for a while that day trying to fill time as we tried to figure out what was going on (this is 1996, so not real cell phones or GPS to speak of back then).  They made up songs about some of the people who randomly came in to shop and I remember a song about a patron in a red sweatshirt that was particularly excellent.

This tape is from my favorite era of the band, when their drummer only played a snare drum and just stood up next to the other two members of the band.  I saw them with a full on drummer a bunch too, but there was something magical about that snare only line up.  The first thing that's interesting about this tape is that it contains some songs from the band's only CD, Senior Year.  But most of the versions on this tape are completely different and feature the snare only version of the band, whereas the CD has a full drummer.  Maybe they were taking these songs for another spin once the lineup changed.  I'm extremely certain the CD with the full drummer came before they switched to the snare only line up.

It also features "Disneyland." Arguably one of my favorite songs of theirs that ended up coming out on their split 7" with Wally.  That 7" is the record that I think really captured the band at their peak (and their magnum opus "Two Days Ago I Turned Punk Rock" from the Dad, I Can't Breathe compilation).  But this tape is such a fun nostalgic listen for me and I'm pretty psyched one popped up on Discogs last year.

Cloud Nothings - The Black Hole Understands LP - Black & White Galaxy Vinyl

2020 (Self Released)

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the black vinyl version of this record here, I had mentioned that I ordered the colored vinyl, but for some reason received the black vinyl instead.  I ended up reaching out to Cloud Nothings via their Bandcamp page about it.  They alerted me that some of the colored and black vinyl had been mixed up and they would send me a new copy.  Plus they paid the postage to return the black vinyl copy.  Good folks over there.

So, you probably can't really tell the difference in the picture.  It's definitely more of a black galaxy than a white galaxy, I suppose.  But even though it's not really a showstopper as far as colored vinyl goes, it is a good record and I'm happy to have the more limited version now.

Cloud Nothings - The Black Hole Understands

https://cloudnothings.bandcamp.com/album/the-black-hole-understands

Cloud Nothings - The Black Hole Understands LP

Self Released (2020)

I didn't get a chance to do a proper review of this album before I ran out of time last year, but you may have noticed that the record did rank quite high on my list of the Absolute Best Records of 2020.  I figured that it would make sense to start the year off getting this one written about.

The Black Hole Understands is an album that the members of Cloud Nothings wrote and recorded under quarantine earlier in 2020.  In some ways it's a pretty dramatic departure from their last few records, but in others it's exactly the sort of thing you would expect from cloud nothings.

First off, the differences.  This record is in no way as loud and noisy as usual.  The distortion is dialed way back giving way to cleaner and at times jangly guitar sounds.  As far as the vocals go, there isn't much of the harsh howling that comes up from time to time.  These vocals are more restrained, almost delicate in the way they interact with the music.

But despite these sonic differences, the songs have the classic Cloud Nothings mastery of putting just the right hook in just the right place.  While they certainly have a weariness to them, they nevertheless have an unshakeable optimism.  Just like everyone else, the band is pushing along to get through these times, because surely they'll get better eventually, right?  

The one other comment I have is that when I ordered this record from the Cloud Nothings Bandcamp page, I had ordered the clear with black smoke colored vinyl variant.  When I got this in the mail, it was a straight black vinyl version.  I actually didn't notice this right away as I forgot there was a colored vinyl version and I've contacted the band/label through their Bandcamp page.  Hopefully I'll be able to get my hands on the colored vinyl version.

Cloud Nothings - The Black Hole Understands:
https://cloudnothings.bandcamp.com/album/the-black-hole-understands

Alligator Gun - Alligator Gun Cassette

1991 (Self Released)

My love of Alligator Gun is well documented on Twitter where I call for the release of Onehundredpercentfreak on vinyl several times a year.  It's one of my top three albums that i think is just begging for a vinyl release.  I don't know anyone will ever release it, but if I win the lottery, you can bet PopKid will come knocking.

Back to reality.  This tape was the only Alligator Gun release I didn't already have (Though I am looking to upgrade my Smirk CD as the one I got a year or so ago has a corner cut off of the cover art).  I was surprised to see the tape pop up on Discogs and was even happier to see it's sub-ten dollar price tag.  It was an easy and instant buy.

Is it this sort of era defining classic as Onehundredpercentfreak?  No, of course not.  This is a super early tape released by a band that was just getting started.  It's actually great for what it is, with solid hooks and punchy guitar riffs.  In particular "Theory of Independent Feet" feels like a harbinger of what could come from this band.  But in this instance, you don't have to take my word for it.  The wonderful MKE Punk website has this tape and all of Aligator Gun's releases available to download, so go check them out!

Alligator Gun - Alligator Gun Tape:
http://www.mkepunk.com/releases/pop-punk/alligator-gun-3-song-ep/

The Beekeepers - Song Demos Cassette

Self Released (2019)

I get a decent amount of tapes sent to me to review.  I hate tapes.  But, I don't mind hearing new bands, so when there is one that's good, it makes the slog worth it.  Unfortunately the vast, vast majority of the tapes that get sent to me are terrible (excluding most of those sent by Snappy Little Numbers, their track record is significantly higher than everyone else's).  Like really, really bad high school style punk rock bands.  Everyone has to start somewhere, and I get that, but that doesn't mean you have to send your tape to me.  I'll feel an obligation of guilt to actually write about the stupid thing.

That said, every so often a pretty decent tape slips through.  This Beekeepers cassette is one of them.  It's not great by any stretch of the imagination, but it's also not terrible.  Jangle heavy guitars shimmering along to vaguely 60s style pop rock.  There's a hippie vibe for sure, but at least they've got the pop part down.  All of the songs have nice, melodic verses and reasonably catchy choruses.  Where they lose me a bit is the vocals.

The voice is something that will take some getting used to.  There's definitely something of a Muppets/Kermit vibe to them, which isn't inherently bad, but I found it a little bit distracting as I went through the tape.  Song Demos is a reasonably pleasant little cassette.  I wouldn't go out of my way to pick it up, but you could do worse than spending a few minutes digging through their songs on Bandcamp.

The Beekeepers - Song Demos:
https://the-beekeepers.bandcamp.com/album/song-demos

DZTN 1980 - Outside The City Cassette (/50)

Self Released (2020)

As DZTN 1980 is the new project from Dustin Herron from Abolitionist, I know how DZTN is likely supposed to be pronounced.  But that doesn't stop my brain from calling it "Datsun 1980" every time I look at this cassette.

DZTN 1980 is essentially just Dustin and his electric guitars.  Those guitars are layered with a ton of swirling effects that create something of a dreamlike vibe to each composition.  What's missing is bass and drums.  Had the guitar been acoustic rather than electric, this would have been quickly slotted as singer songwriter by most, but the fuzzy noise keeps this different from your run of the mill bedroom troubadour.

That said, I think I would like this a lot more if it was more of a full band type of situation.  The songs are structured in a way that just beg for loud crashing drum fills to jump in and assist with the transitions.  Without them, the songs feel more like incomplete sketches than they do finished songs.  There's something to this tape that I dig, but I don't think that it's the sort of thing I could see myself listening to very much as is.

DZTN 1980 - Outside The City:
https://dztn1980.bandcamp.com/album/outside-the-city-lp-2020

The Suitesixteen - Mine Would Be The Sun - 2xLP

Self Released (2020)

The Suitesixteen is a project that Rob Nesbitt has been working on for quite some time.  You may know Rob from his work in Bum, one of my all time favorite bands.  They have a little slice of perfection called Wanna Smash Sensation and I highly recommend you check that album out if you haven't heard it before.

I have heard Rob talking about this record for years in interviews and social media posts.  You can feel the passion he has for it and see the work he has poured into it.  Mine Would Be The Sun is very much his magnum opus.  To be honest, I was worried about how the album would actually turn out.  The way that Rob has spoke of it over the years, you could tell it was super important to him and he was in deep.

My concern was that it would lose the energy and fun that made Bum such an enjoyable listen.  Often when an artist really dives into a project like this they can very easily fall into traps of self indulgence and over thinking things.  I was worried this might turn into another example of someone with an upbeat band take things in completely the opposite direction and write a bunch of sad sack songs.  How many times have you seen a solo record turn out shit because the artist was trying to make it more important than what they did with their band?

I can happily report that Rob avoided all of these pitfalls and has released an absolute classic of an album.  It retains all of the spark that made Bum work, but still manages to further his songwriting and storytelling abilities.  This is a record about the sort of love, heartache and loss that you experience when you are young.  Those emotions hit so much differently when you are in your teens or early twenties and you find yourself feeling, saying and doing things that sometimes don't make sense when you look back through more experienced eyes.

Rob has documented those triumphs and follies throughout the course of this album's sixteen songs.  In some ways it may be the most perfect embodiment of youthful longing that I've ever heard.  It resonates with feelings I had when I was nineteen that I look back on wondering what I was doing.  But at the same time, they're experiences I wouldn't change as they were part of the journey that got me to the present day.

The best part about this album is while Rob is telling these stories, the music rules.  This isn't an album full of somber, melancholy songs.  These are songs that sound like they could be on a Bum record in 2020.  The vast majority are uptempo with the sort of driving rhythm section and punky chord progressions that were so prevalent in the 90s.  At the same time, there's more of a power pop vibe than Bum typically presented.  The vocal harmonies are Electric Light Orchestra level glorious and bring the hooks and choruses to new heights.

Plus there is the simply insane artwork.  Triple gatefold.  52 page booklet.  Double LP.  Lyrics.  The whole shebang.  It's one of the most insane packaging set ups you'll find.  Though I will say, I wish the band name and album title were on the spine as I think it's the thickest non boxset spine I've ever seen in my life.  That minor issue aside, this is such an amazing package for an amazing album.  It's set the bar extremely high for 2020 and I'm unsure how another record is going to beat it for album of the year.

The Suitesixteen - Mine Would Be The Sun:
https://thesuitesixteen.bandcamp.com/album/mine-would-be-the-sun

Doo Rag - Barber Shop Cassette

Self Released (1995)

Doo Rag is one of those bands that I have just loved ever since the moment I first heard them.  The two times I saw them live rank as some of the more memorable shows I have ever seen and I adore  their records, particularly their second album, What We Do.  I've been on the lookout for this cassette for quite some time.  It was self released and sold at shows in 1995, the year before their second full length album was released.

Of the six songs on this tape, five of them would end up on What We Do, but on this cassette every one of them is a different version than the one that would end up on the full length.  We get early takes on some of my favorites like "Kick Walkin," "Mop Down" and "Rectifier."  There's also one song that is only available on this tape, "Barn Pornstar."  That one is more midtempo with a vibe somewhat similar to their song "Crooked," but not as blown out and wild sounding.  "Barn Pornstar" is strong and I'm not sure why it never ended up on anything else.

While Bob Log III has definitely put out some fun releases over the years since Doo Rag disbanded, I've always thought that there was a special magic when he was still playing with Thermos Malling in Doo Rag.  That's the 90s reunion that I want to see.  Someone make it happen.

Doo Rag - Barbershop:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdsZWzvdMWs

The First Part - Offset From The Normal 12" EP

Self Released (2019)

I was very pleasantly surprised to have this new 12" EP by The First Part show up at my door a couple of weeks ago.  I really liked a CDEP of theirs a few years back, but had honestly lost track of them a little bit.  As I get older, I notice I have a more difficult time keeping up on current bands and what they are up to.  I do my best, but inevitably things slip through the cracks for one reason or another.   I'm glad this EP didn't become one of them.

Boasting a former member of "90s pop punk sensations" Jill, I'm going to be inclined to like these guys since I was such a big Jill fan back in the day.  But if this record was a total turd, no amount of good will for a prior band would make me like the new one.  Crooked Fingers really blows, for example, and those first two Archers of Loaf records are among my very favorite ever.  Luckily, I can happily report that the four songs on this EP are pretty great.

One of the things I remember about the bands first EP is how I felt they had a similar, mid tempo pop structure that reminded me of bands like Hospital Job.  While I would still classify the tempo on the bulk of this EP as "mid," I feel like these songs have more of a pop punk feel to them.  Maybe a little closer to Jill, particularly in the vocal melodies.  My favorite song of the bunch is "We're No Strangers" and while it certainly doesn't feel dated, it makes me think back to the 90s in the best possible way.

This is a great record.  That said, I always have weird feelings for 12" EPs.  It always seems like it would make more sense to stick more songs on there.  Why not have thrown the songs from that first CDEP on the B side?  Anyway, my bizarre person feeling about EPs aside, this is a worthwhile record to check out for the pop kids out there.

The First Part - Offset From The Normal:
https://thefirstpart.bandcamp.com/album/offset-from-the-normal

Treepeople - Bonus Tracks LP - Clear Vinyl

Self Released (2018)

Though it has taken me a while to write about this LP, I actually purchased it at the same time as the vinyl reissue of the first Treepeople tape on vinyl, No Mouth Pipetting.  I bought them from a record store in Idaho, though I see now that K records is also stocking it in their distro for a nice price.  My copy of this Bonus Tracks LP was missing the little postcard sized track listing, but the band were nice enough to mail me one when I reached out to them.  Class act.

This LP has ten songs in total, mostly mimicking the listing of the bonus tracks that were available on the original Toxic Shock CD version of Guilt Regret Embarrassment.  "Lazerbeam/Flamegrape" was on that CD and I think that it was only ever out on that CD.  The rest of the nine songs originally were released on various 7" singles the band released in the early 90s.

"Important Things," "Handcuffs" and "In My Head" are from the Treepeople's 1989 single on Silence records.  "Making The D" and "Pretty Girl" (aka "PG") are from the 1990 7" released on Battery.  "Cartoon Brew" is originally from a 7" compilation called Silence Sampler, though it eventually made its way on to the full length Just Kidding.  "Mistake" and "Ballard Bitter" are from a '91 Sonic Bubblegum 7".  "Neils Down" is from a split 7" on Toxic Shock with a band called House Of Larger Sizes.

It's nice to have all of these songs on an easy to play LP.  I love 7"s and collecting them has been a real passion of mine for twenty-five years plus, but there's something to be said about being able to just put this down on the turntable and enjoy, rather than getting up to flip 7"s every few minutes.

Treepeople - "Handcuffs":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvEN6CGIjCw

Treepeople "Mistake":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIcAWZnv2CI

The Pretty Flowers - Golden Beat Sessions CD

Self Released (2019)

In case you haven't been paying attention, The Pretty Flowers released not only one of the best records of 2018, but one of the best records of the last five years when they put out Why Trains Crash.  If you don't already have that album, stop what you are doing and go buy it immediately.  Once you are back we can discuss their newest release, an eight song CD of covers they've released themselves.

The Golden Beat Sessions has The Pretty Flowers and their take on songs by groups as diverse as The Wipers, Teenage Fanclub, Thin Lizzy and Warren Zevon.  While the source material is pretty diverse, once they are run through the Pretty Flowers filter, they come out the other side feeling like a complete, congruous album.  In fact, you could probably stick just about any one of these songs into the middle of Why Trains Crash and I don't think I'd bat an eyelash at it.  Rather than serve up carbon copies of the originals, Pretty Flowers make these songs their own.

While I'm not a huge fan of EPs at the best of times, when you are doing a project like this of all cover songs, I'm going to have a different opinion than if you served up an EP of original songs.  Now, while I think that something like this is just begging to be released as a 10", I take solace in the fact that there's at least a CD version and I didn't have to buy a cassette.

The Pretty Flowers -  Golden Beat Sessions:
https://theprettyflowers.bandcamp.com/album/golden-beat-sessions

Baby Blue / Triple Junk - Split 7"

Self Released (2018)

I picked up this split 7" as I really loved a Triple Junk 7" I bought last year.  Once a band like that gets their hooks in me, I'm always going to try to hunt down other records if I can find them.  Luckily I had some help acquiring this one.

We'll start off with Baby Blue as they are a band I hadn't heard of prior to this 7",  Their first song, "I Don't Wanna Be Your Sorry" is a mid tempo crunchy rock and roll song.  It reminds me a little bit of Blew for some reason, but with a much, much more prominent 60s rock flair to them.  The lead guitar solo in the middle is a little ridiculous, but it's a solid song.  "I Can't Let You Go" takes things down a notch and has a much more melodic feel to it.  I'm usually the sort that prefers the faster songs, but this time out the slower one gets my vote.

Triple Junk was the band I bought this 7" for and their songs do not disappoint.  I still think that they have a slight Gentleman Jesse feel to them, but if Jesse's songs were filtered through a band like Three Minute Movie.   "Make Up My Mind" has a slick verse built off of hanging guitar chords and bass guitar.  When the chorus kicks in is where this song shines.  Their 2nd contribution "Tax" has a bouncier feel to it with a choppy guitar driven verse and a hooky chorus that wouldn't be out of place on an early Weezer record.

Baby Blue / Triple Junk - Split 7":
https://babybluejapan.bandcamp.com/album/rocknroll-or-what

Bender! - Reputation Proof CD

Self Released (2009)

This Bender! (with an exclamation point) was from Japan and is not to be confused with Bender (no exclamation point) from Canada.  Bender! features Yu, who some may remember from recent write ups I've done on other bands he was in like Plum and 2 Sick Worry.   Yu send me this six song CDEP along with a few other releases from his Urban Sleep label.  It took me a little while to get to this one (sorry Yu!) but it's worth the wait as all six songs on this CD are tremendous.

While I definitely hear similarities to Yu's other bands, particularly in the Navel-esque vocals, the thing that jumps out the most to me is how much I'm reminded of the band New Sweet Breath when listening to this.  It's ironic, since the Canadian Bender put out records on Ringing Ear records, home to my favorite New Sweet Breath album, Demolition Theater.  Like that 1996 classic, Bender! trades is fast, jangly guitar riffs with hooky vocal melodies that just have a way of making me smile.

It doesn't look like Bender! released anything else outside of a couple of compilation appearances, but this EP is wonderful and I'm really happy to have it in the collection.  It's especially worth tracking down if you've liked the Plum or 2 Sick Worry records I've written about.

Bender! - Reputation Proof:
https://benderteikoku.bandcamp.com/album/reputation-proof

The Pretty Flowers / Last Good Sleep - Split 7" - Yellow Vinyl (/250)

Self Released (2016)

I've mentioned a few times that I've been completely obsessed with The Pretty Flowers' full length Why Trains Crash.  It's one of my absolute favorite records of this year and I have essentially been playing it nonstop since I bought it.  More than anything, it's made me want to hear even more from the band, but unfortunately there aren't too many other releases out there.  One of the few is this split 7" with a band called Last Good Sleep.

We'll start with the Pretty Flowers songs since they're what made me pick up this 7".  The first song is "Inconsiderate Dreams."  It doesn't appear on Why Trains Crash, but it could very easily fit right in with the songs on that album.  It has the dynamic guitar work and insanely catchy hooks that just make me love this band.  The second song on their side of this split is a cover of "Year Of The Cat" by The Lemonheads.  It's a good take on the song and The Pretty Flowers do a nice job of making it sound like one of their own, but let's be honest - I like The Pretty Flowers more than the Lemonheads and would rather just have another original song.

Last Good Sleep isn't a band I'm familiar with.  They have such a strong early 90s feel, I can't even believe this record came out two years ago.  In particular the first song, "Jacranda Mimosifolia" really reminds me of a lot of the fuzzy punk that came out of the Pacific Northwest.  It sounds so much like Some Velvet Sidewalk to me, and that's a band name I haven't written down in a really long time.  The second song, "Candy Knife," is a bit more straightforward, but still sounds like the sort of thing that could have come out on K records in 1992.  That's a compliment, I really dig both of these songs.

The Pretty Flowers / Last Good Sleep - Split 7":
https://theprettyflowers.bandcamp.com/album/the-pretty-flowers-7-split-w-last-good-sleep

Big City - S/T CD

Self Released (2017)

Following up on the Big City EP that I wrote about yesterday, this self titled CD is the first full length release from the band.  They build off of the early promise of that EP and in almost every way exceed expectations.  This album is a big leap forward in songwriting and production, while still hanging on to the passion and energy that made the EP so thoroughly enjoyable.

The first thing I notice about the songs on this album is the increased fidelity of the production.  Everything sounds a little more polished and the songs themselves are just a touch slower.  Often times this is where bands start to lose the charm that made them fun to listen to in the first place, but for Big City it is exactly what the band needed.  Like their first EP, you can hear the connection to bands like The Urchin and Dillinger Four.  That said, this time out there are more melodic tendencies.

I hear similarities to bands like RVIVR and Iron Chic, especially when it comes to the choruses and backing vocals.  There's a definite increase in anthemic singalongs.  But the way they combine this with the faster paced, driving energy that's more in tune with the Japanese scene they call home, the end result is a mix unique to Big City.

Big City - Big City:
https://bigcity-okayama.bandcamp.com/album/bigcity

Big City - 4 Songs CD

Self Released (2016)

This four song CD EP is one of two CDs that I have from Big City.  I will actually review the other one tomorrow, rather than hang on to it for a later date.  This EP is one in a pretty big pile of Japanese punk rock CDs that I've acquired over the past two years that I haven't been able to write about.  In some ways, I feel like I will have a pile like this forever, especially since Kazu is already making another pile in Japan for me to buy at some point.

On their EP, Big City rushes out of the gate with a fast paced pop punk sound that makes me think of bands like The Urchin and Dillinger Four right away.  They have just the right mix of powerful aggression and catchy hooks. For me that's always been one of the main reason I gravitate towards Japanese punk bands.  There's just a little something extra in the energy department, I always feel like everyone in the band believes in every single note they play and every word they sing.  Passion.

This EP is a solid introduction to Big City.  Fast and catchy is the best way to describe things.  The EP is good, but the full length I'll write about tomorrow is even better.

Big City - Four Songs CD:
https://bigcity-okayama.bandcamp.com/album/4songs